1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the SAC process flow for semiconductor devices with aluminum metal gates, comprising:
forming a diffusion layer on a substrate;
forming one or more aluminum gate structures on the diffusion layer;
forming a barrier layer on the gate structures;
forming an oxide layer on the barrier layer;
polishing the oxide layer and the barrier layer to expose portions of the one or more gate structures;
removing an aluminum oxide layer from at least one aluminum gate structure by a zincating process;
depositing a zinc layer on the aluminum gate structure; and
then selectively depositing a metal or metal alloy on the aluminum layer using an electroless deposition technique catalyzed by the zinc layer.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the zinc layer in turn is displaced by the selectively deposited electroless metal or metal, alloy.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein traces of zinc are left behind between the electrolessly deposited metal or metal alloy and aluminum gate.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein removing an aluminum oxide layer from the at least one gate structure comprises implementing a zincating process using a solution consisting of ZnO2 at a pH that exceeds 14.8.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the zinc is deposited onto the aluminum gate metal through a displacement reaction.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively depositing a metal or metal alloy on the zinc layer comprises an electroless metal deposition process.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the zinc layer acts as a catalyst for the electroless metal deposition process.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A development apparatus that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier, comprising:
a developer roller operable to carry toner on a circumferential surface thereof and develop the electrostatic latent image using the toner;
a supply roller operable to perform toner supply to the developer roller;
a voltage applier operable to apply a bias voltage V1 to the developer roller and apply a bias voltage V2 to the supply roller; and
a controller configured to control the voltage applier in an image formation mode so that a value obtained by subtracting an average S2 of the bias voltage V2 per unit time from an average S1 of the bias voltage V1 per unit time indicates a different polarity than a charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in a non-degraded state, and to control the voltage applier in a toner consumption mode so that a value obtained by subtracting the average S2 of the bias voltage V2 per unit time from the average S1 of the bias voltage V1 per unit time indicates a same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state, the toner consumption mode performing development at a time of non-image formation being a time other than image formation based on a print job externally sent thereto to discharge the degraded toner accumulated in the development apparatus to the outside thereof.
2. The development apparatus of claim 1, wherein
each of the bias voltages V1 and V2 is a voltage composed by superimposing a voltage component varying cyclically onto a direct-current voltage component, and the bias voltages V1 and V2 have a same frequency with synchronized phases, and
the controller controls the voltage applier in the toner consumption mode so that (i) a value obtained by subtracting V2a from V1a indicates the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state and (ii) a relational expression of V1b=V2b is satisfied, where V1a is peak potential of the bias voltage V1 in the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle, V2a is peak potential of the bias voltage V2 in the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle, V1b is peak potential of the bias voltage V1 in a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle, and V2b is peak potential of the bias voltage V2 in the opposite polarity within a cycle.
3. The development apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bias voltages V1 and V2 are alternating-current voltages.
4. The development apparatus of claim 1, wherein
each of the bias voltages V1 and V2 is a voltage composed by superimposing a voltage component varying cyclically onto a direct-current voltage component, and the bias voltages V1 and V2 have a same frequency with synchronized phases, and
the controller controls the voltage applier in the toner consumption mode so that both a value obtained by subtracting V2a from V1 a and a value obtained by subtracting V1 b from V2b indicate the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state, where V1a is peak potential of the bias voltage V1 in the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle, V2a is peak potential of the bias voltage V2 in the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle, V1b is peak potential of the bias voltage V1 in a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle, and V2b is peak potential of the bias voltage V2 in the opposite polarity within a cycle.
5. The development apparatus of claim 4, wherein the bias voltages V1 and V2 are alternating-current voltages.
6. The development apparatus of claim 1, wherein
the bias voltage V1 is a voltage composed by superimposing a voltage component varying cyclically onto a direct-current voltage component having the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state,
the bias voltage V2 is a constant direct-current voltage having the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state, and
the controller controls the voltage applier in the toner consumption mode so that potential of the bias voltage V2 falls in range of V1a to V1b, where V1a is peak potential of the bias voltage V1 in the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle and V1b is peak potential of the bias voltage V1 in a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle.
7. The development apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bias voltage V1 is either one of a pulsating voltage and an alternating-current voltage.
8. The development apparatus of claim 1, wherein
the controller changes, in the toner consumption mode, magnitude of a difference between the averages S1 and S2 based on a predetermined condition.
9. The development apparatus of claim 8, wherein
the predetermined condition is whether temperature inside or around the development apparatus is (i) less than or equals to a 1st predetermined value or (ii) more than the 1st predetermined value andor whether humidity inside or around the development apparatus is (i) less than or equals to a 2nd predetermined value or (ii) more than the 2nd predetermined value, and
the controller sets the magnitude of the difference to a 1st magnitude when the temperature is less than or equals to the 1st predetermined value andor the humidity is less than or equals to the 2nd value, and sets the magnitude of the difference to a 2nd magnitude being smaller than the 1st magnitude when the temperature is more than the 1st predetermined value andor the humidity is more than the 2nd predetermined value.
10. The development apparatus of claim 8, wherein
the predetermined condition is whether a cumulative operation time of the development apparatus at present (i) is within a predetermined period of time or (ii) exceeds the predetermined period of time, and
the controller sets the magnitude of the difference to a 1st magnitude when the cumulative operation time is within the predetermined period of time, and sets the magnitude of the difference to a 2nd magnitude being larger than the 1st magnitude when the cumulative operation time exceeds the predetermined period of time.
11. The development apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller changes the difference by altering a duty ratio in a cycle when one or both of the bias voltages V1 and V2 is a voltage composed by superimposing a voltage component varying cyclically onto a direct-current voltage component.
12. An image forming apparatus including a developer operable to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier with use of toner, wherein
the developer is the development apparatus of claim 1.
13. A development method used on a development apparatus including a developer roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier with use of toner carried on a circumferential surface of the developer roller and a supply roller for performing toner supply to the developer roller, in order to consume a degraded toner accumulated in the development apparatus, the development method including:
estimating a state of degradation of the toner;
when it is determined that the state of degradation of the toner is below a predetermined level, controlling a voltage applier that applies a bias voltage V1 to the developer roller and applies a bias voltage V2 to the supply roller in a first mode so that a value obtained by subtracting an average S2 of the bias voltage V2 per unit time from an average S1 of the bias voltage V1 per unit time indicates a different polarity than a charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in a non-degraded state; and
when it is determined that the state of degradation of the toner is above the predetermined level, controlling the voltage applier that applies the bias voltage V1 to the developer roller and applies the bias voltage V2 to the supply roller in a second mode so that the value obtained by subtracting the average S2 of the bias voltage V2 per unit time from the average S1 of the bias voltage V1 per unit time indicates a same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state.
14. The development method of claim 13, wherein
each of the bias voltages V1 and V2 is a voltage composed by superimposing a voltage component varying cyclically onto a direct-current voltage component, and the bias voltages V1 and V2 have a same frequency with synchronized phases, and
the control step controls the voltage applier in the second mode so that (i) a value obtained by subtracting V2a from V1a indicates the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state and (ii) a relational expression of V1b=V2b is satisfied, where V1a is peak potential of the bias voltage V1 in the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle, V2a is peak potential of the bias voltage V2 in the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle, V1b is peak potential of the bias voltage V1 in a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle, and V2b is peak potential of the bias voltage V2 in the opposite polarity within a cycle.
15. The development method of claim 13, wherein
each of the bias voltages V1 and V2 is a voltage composed by superimposing a voltage component varying cyclically onto a direct-current voltage component, and the bias voltages V1 and V2 have a same frequency with synchronized phases, and
the control step controls the voltage applier in the second mode so that both a value obtained by subtracting V2a from V1a and a value obtained by subtracting V1b from V2b indicate the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state, where V1a is peak potential of the bias voltage V1 in the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle, V2a is peak potential of the bias voltage V2 in the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle, V1b is peak potential of the bias voltage V1 in a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle, and V2b is peak potential of the bias voltage V2 in the opposite polarity within a cycle.
16. The development method of claim 13, wherein
the bias voltage V1 is a voltage composed by superimposing a voltage component varying cyclically onto a direct-current voltage component having the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state,
the bias voltage V2 is a constant direct-current voltage having the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state, and
the control step controls the voltage applier in the second mode so that potential of the bias voltage V2 falls in range of V1a to V1b, where V1a is peak potential of the bias voltage V1 in the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle and V1b is peak potential of the bias voltage V1 in a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner when the toner is in the non-degraded state within a cycle.
17. The development method of claim 13, wherein
the control step changes, in second mode, magnitude of a difference between the averages S1 and S2 based on a predetermined condition.
18. The development method of claim 17, wherein
the predetermined condition is whether temperature inside or around the development apparatus is (i) less than or equals to a 1st predetermined value or (ii) more than the 1st predetermined value andor whether humidity inside or around the development apparatus is (i) less than or equals to a 2nd predetermined value or (ii) more than the 2nd predetermined value, and
the control step sets the magnitude of the difference to a 1st magnitude when the temperature is less than or equals to the 1st predetermined value andor the humidity is less than or equals to the 2nd value, and sets the magnitude of the difference to a 2nd magnitude being smaller than the 1st magnitude when the temperature is more than the 1st predetermined value andor the humidity is more than the 2nd predetermined value.
19. The development method of claim 17, wherein
the predetermined condition is whether a cumulative operation time of the development apparatus at present (i) is within a predetermined period of time or (ii) exceeds the predetermined period of time, and
the control step sets the magnitude of the difference to a 1st magnitude when the cumulative operation time is within the predetermined period of time, and sets the magnitude of the difference to a 2nd magnitude being larger than the 1st magnitude when the cumulative operation time exceeds the predetermined period of time.
20. The development method of claim 17, wherein
the control step changes the difference by altering a duty ratio in a cycle when one or both of the bias voltages V1 and V2 is a voltage composed by superimposing a voltage component varying cyclically onto a direct-current voltage component.